More than Forgiveness

From Lee C. Camp, Mere Discipleship

Grace does not merely provide forgiveness so that we may be forgiven, but empowerment to be the people of God, to be the body of Christ, to continue the work and ministry of Christ in human history

An alcoholic enslaved to drink, for example, commits all sorts of transgressions in the cycle of addiction. For the alcoholic, lying and deceit become a way of life. Transparency would threaten to reveal closely guarded secrets; duplicity is always at hand. For some, theft becomes a practice — ever in need of alcohol, and with insufficient funds to purchase drink. Relationships suffer, expectations go unmet, families disintegrate. Jobs are lost, finances suffer, and despair results. The addict needs, most certainly, forgiveness. For the relationships harmed, for the trusts broken, for the money stolen — for all these things, the alcoholic needs the grace of those individuals harmed by his deeds. And such forgiveness is indeed costly, painful to give, and painful to receive. But were the alcoholic merely to receive forgiveness — desperately needed though it is — this would not be enough. This alone would not be good news for the one enslaved to drink. What is needed is sobriety — freedom from drink, and more, a new life of freedom from duplicity, pride, fear, resentments, self. The alcoholic needs a new life, a life lived in service not to one's self, one's desires, one's pride, but in glory to God, in service to others. It is this that the gospel offers, the power to break the enslaving powers and principalities of the world. Our problem is not how to get a get-out-of-hell-free card; our problem is not a legalistic God who must somehow be appeased after we've broken God's rules. Our problem — or at least Paul believes it to be so — is the slavery in which we find ourselves, trapped and oppressed by "the way the world works." We need "forgiveness," but not mere forgiveness — we need deliverance from the rebellious principalities and powers.

Addicts do not come to know sobriety apart from the fellowship of a recovery group. In the same way, disciples do not come to know transformation apart from communion with fellow pilgrims on the Way. In fact, many addicts attest to the fact that isolation — wanting to be alone, and to be left alone — accompanies their cycle of addictive behaviour. But through the cross, the power of the "works of the flesh" is destroyed, and a joyful antidote to addiction offered — real community with friends on the Way.